Skin... Not so much

The new Lifestyles Skyn condom is the first of its kind. A revolutionary non-latex condom made of polyisoprene material which is stronger than latex and safe for those with allergies. The added comfort is a plus, but this condom doesn't hold up to its real feel claim.

Published:
July 8, 2010

Pros:

No smell, non latex-polyisoprene, flexible, stronger, great for the lengthy, silent.

Cons:

No oil lubricant, no natural shape, lubricant doesn't last long, not for the girthy.

Note: This is a descriptive review so the format will be a bit different than that of my normal condom reviews.

THE CLAIM/INTRO:

"Introducing the non latex condom that will change safe sex forever. SKYN from LifeStyles is the first clinically proven condom made with polyisoprene –a new, strong-yet-soft material designed to enhance sensation to knee-buckling proportions."

Lifestyles is a favorite condom brand of mine. They have some interesting options and have come out with this first of its kind condom. Great for those who have latex allergies, it is made of a non-latex material that does smell like a dead sheep. The material also is super flexible, different than latex, and stronger than other current non-latex condoms on the market. So how does it hold up to these claims?

Average condoms have a thickness of 0.0027". The Lifestyles Skyn has the same thickness, but they claim that since the material is non latex it has a much more real feel. If a condom is considered thin it is usually .0019" or thinner, so this condom is a far cry from that in measurement.

The average condom is 7.5" long. This condom is slightly smaller at 7.48". Again, the claim is that this material stretches much better than latex and the smaller size won't be as restricting as normal. There is a larger reservoir tip that can hold 2-3 teaspoons of semen. I recommend these condoms for members no longer than 7.15".

Average condom head width is 2.125". This condom has extra room and is 2.08" wide. This is not typical for most Lifestyles condoms, so if you are used to the extra head room you may find this disappointing. It will not allow for a natural shape and will not accommodate for guys with heads considerably larger than their shafts. This will desensitize guys who depend on the sensitive nerve ending in their head to receive friction.

Average shaft and base width is 2" the Skyn condom is a little larger at 2.08". This isn't a huge difference to the smaller guys but it might make enough of a positive difference to the more girthy guys. The base isn't smaller than the rest of the condom so if you are small be aware that this condom could slip off.

This condom has an odorless water based lubrication. There is not a plentiful amount so be sure to add more if you feel discomfort. Latex condoms have a higher chance of breakage, but it is still good for extra measure.

*WARNING*: Do NOT use any oil lubricants with this condom. It will damage it and make them less effective against pregnancy and STDs.

The color of this condom is sheer transparent and adds to the natural look and feel. They come is small gold foil covered wrappers which are easy to open. The condom is also easy to roll down because of the non-latex material.

Experience

So how did the claim hold up?

Thickness/Feel:

It did not feel real in the slightest. So, I know it has nothing to do with that non-latex material. It felt thick, and actually felt thicker than latex condoms of the same measured thickness. My partner said he couldn't forget that he was wearing a condom, like he can with some other ones that we use.

Sizing:

It didn't fit short on my partner like other condoms do of the same length. I feel that this condom really did stretch and flex nicely. Much nicer than a latex condom does for length. It fit nicely on my well endowed guy and I was not worried about seminal fluid venturing toward the opening of the condom because it was snug at the base and long enough. But the width didn't stretch as nicely. This is were he noticed that they felt snug. The lack of taper and natural shape disappointed both of us. The head width was a also a bummer because it smashed his wonderful shape.

Lubricant/Smell/Cleanup:

The lubricant and condom had no smell which was awesome and it was really easy to clean up. But, the lubricant didn't last very long. I ended up getting chaffed a bit and hurting afterward. It was harder to tell that there was not enough lubrication because of the material. What was weird is that I felt wet but the condom felt completely dry. This was my biggest gripe about the condom although when it was lubricated it felt great and I achieved orgasm quickly. My partner liked that the lubricant wasn't as slimy as other we use which also aided in easy clean up.

THE VERDICT:

I am giving these condoms an objective 3 stars (My subjective rating is 2 stars) because the material is more flexible and it has no yucky odor. They also are silent. It doesn't sound their there is a plastic bag between the two of you, so at least you won't have that remind that you are wearing a condom. I liked the added comfort of a stronger material, but this didn't hold up to its claims of feeling as close to real as it gets. They feel decent if kept lubricated but the lubrication doesn't last very long. My guy didn't like the sizing in terms of thickness but for a smaller guy, I'm sure they will find these quite comfortable but may miss the natural contoured shape of other Lifestyles condoms.

Follow-up commentaryI still don't like it3 months after original review

The LifeStyles condom isn't a great choice for sex unless you are allergic to latex. It has become a luxurious condom to use on my toys though! It didn't work well for my partner and I so I have been using these on my toys. The great thing is that these can be used with ANY material of toys, so if you can afford them, these are great for that!

This product was provided free of charge to the reviewer. This review is in compliance with the
FTC guidelines.

We might as well throw out the rest of the box...or use these on toys.

07/09/2010

Airen Wolf

These definitely don't live up to their claims and were useless for my girthier guy!
Ah well on with the experimentation. Great review!

07/12/2010

~LaUr3n~

Glad to hear my review is accurate for more than just me

07/12/2010

PassionQT

As long as it doesn't stink to much and is effective and fits, a condom is a condom to me. . What kind of "real feel" are we talking about anyhow? I sure hope it feels like a condom so I know it there!

07/12/2010

~LaUr3n~

LOL I understand your thinking. You should try the Ecstacy ones! You will know the difference.

07/14/2010

Viktor Vysheslav Malkin

Great review Lauren!

09/21/2010

~LaUr3n~

Thanks!

09/21/2010

Miss Zombie

I have absolutely no problem with these condoms. They are basically all I can use being that I am allergic to latex. Of course this is the only non-latex condom I have tried. Anyway, good review!